This project was researched in 2005 by a team of experts commissioned by CIPRA as part of the Future in the Alps Project. The contents are not being updated.
- Best Practice
- Topics
- Mobility
- Regional value added
- Short description
- * Project updated on 25 April 2007 according to information from the project contact persons * PubliCar is a public transport on-demand in several regions of Switzerland. The PubliCar is a product of Postauto, a former branch of Swiss Post. This on-demand transport service is especially popular in regions, where there is not enough demand for a regular schedule based service. In addition it is used as additional service during off-peak periods as well as a late night service, when regular scheduled services do not operate any more.
- Project executive
- PostAuto Switzerland is an independent public transport company of the former Swiss Post.
- Participants
- Postauto Schweiz, Cantonal and Federal Offices for Transport (as financer of public transport services)
- Objectives
- PubliCar increases the spatial and temporal availability of public transport services in rural and sparsely populated areas. The development of a basic public transport supply in those regions where no regular, scheduled public transport service is feasible new public transport customers can be acquired.
- Activities
- Public transport services in rural areas. Trips have to be reserved in advance via a call centre. Some PubliCar services provide door-to-door services on-demand. In some regions there are scheduled departures at designated train stations which can be used without reservation (the way back to the train station however has to be reserved in advance at the call centre).
- Process
- PubliCar was designed within regular public transport planning processes. Several institutional levels have been evolved: public transport operators, cantons, communities and so-called regional public transport conferences).
- Results
- PubliCar was able to increase public transport modal shares. In the case when PubliCar provides supplementary services to regular scheduled services during off peak hours and after 8 p.m.
- Evaluation
- A short evaluation of a specific PubliCar services was conducted for the Huttwil region. Publication: INFRAS 2003: Grobbeurteilung innovativer Mobilitätsprojekte, Bundesamt für Energie, Evaluationen, Bern, September 2003
- Difficulties
- The difficulties encountered are rather region specific. Especially in regions where PubliCar services are combined with regular, scheduled school bus services revenues were insufficient. In some regions topographic reasons (no tangential trips) lead to an increased need of vehicles and drivers. Again, this reduces efficiency of the service and might lead either to a reduction of temporal and spatial availability or the service is given-up completely.
- Budget
- The budget depends on the area covered, the operating times and the number of vehicles operating. (Euro)
- Financial backer
- Cantons and Federal Funds for public transport.
